1. Introduction
The increase in environmental pollution caused by toxic metals
is of great concern because of their carcinogenic properties
[1], their non-biodegradability and bio-accumulation.
Cadmium may be found in wastewater discharges from the
electroplating industry, the manufacture of nickel–cadmium batteries,
fertilizers, pesticides, pigments and dyes and textile operations[2,3].
It is non-biodegradable and travels through the food
chain. In humans, nausea and vomiting has been recorded at levels
of 15 mg Cd2+/l with no adverse effects at 0.05 mg Cd2+/l.
Severe toxic, but non fatal, symptoms are reported at concentrations
of 10–326 mg Cd2+/l of cadmium. The kidneys are the
critical target organ after ingestion (renal dysfunction, hypertension
and anaemia)